A souped-up Super - 1964 Ford Anglia 1200 super

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The Ford Anglia 105E featured in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets might have been able to fly, become invisible and carry 10 people, six trunks, two owls and a rat – but we bet it wouldn’t be as quick around Goodwood as this one being offered for sale by Moreton-in-Marsh classic dealer Mather Collectable Motor Cars.

The 1964 car began life as a regular 1200 Super before the growing interest in historic saloon car competition and classic rallying led to it becoming the subject of a conversion from genteel ‘potterer’ to all-out racer.

Its initial transition resulted in successes in events such as the U2TC Championship, the Spa Six Hours and various historic rallies, with French enthusiast Patrice Wattinne achieving some especially good results.

Around a decade ago, however, it was stripped down to its bare bones in advance of a far more comprehensive and extensive rebuild that ended up costing in excess of £40,000. The work included bead-blasting the entire bodyshell prior to seam-welding, stiffening and strengthening it, fitting a bespoke rollcage and building it back up again using new Ford steel wings, rear panels and re-skinned doors.

After the shell was fully resprayed, all new glass was fitted along with a fresh head lining and door cards – during which time a decidedly potent Damico race engine was built and blueprinted with strict adherence to FIA specifications.

Although retaining the car’s original 1200cc capacity, the high-performance engine is capable of revving safely to more than 8500rpm, although it’s limited to 7500 for longevity – which is still sufficient to produce around 130hp.

The engine drives through a close-ratio gearbox with a racing clutch, and the suspension and brakes (discs at the front) have been fully uprated both to cope with the car’s striking performance and to comply with FIA regulations.

While the interior is suitably stripped-out, the dashboard remains close to the original (with the addition of a rev counter and prominent oil pressure warning light) and it would be easy to fit a navigator’s seat if the new owner had any notions of using the car for long-distance rallies or other road-based events.

And that’s a practical proposition because, despite its appearance, the car remains road-legal and the engine, while powerful, has been tuned for tractability.

The current 105 decibel exhaust system might need to be toned down a bit for such road use, and anyone planning to take advantage of the 12-gallon long-range fuel tank should also contemplate adding some interior sound-proofing.

Beyond that, however, this is a car that’s as suitable for the Spa Six Hours as it is for the Goodwood Revival or Le Jog.

And we think the fact that you could also pop to the shops in it makes it absolutely magic. But not in the Harry Potter sense.

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1964 Ford Anglia 1200 super

On sale with Mather Collectable, Blockley, Glos. Asking: £24,950. mathercollectables.com

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